The Dating Game
by SadaraLochlan
Summary: A murder case isn't the only thing being tried as Hamilton Burger, Perry Mason, and Paul Drake try to get serious with the women they've set their sights on. H/OC, P/D, Paul/Gertie


_So this is going to be a prequel to The Case of the Compromised Counselor. For those who haven't read that one, Hamilton doesn't meet Alexandra until the Perry Mason years as opposed to having met her in college. Going to try to weave some Paul/Gertie in this one too since I had a request for that._

The Los Angeles District Attorney looked up with raised eyebrows as his sharp hearing picked up Tragg's distinctive voice growing louder and clearer. It wasn't an unusual occurrence as Tragg's office was right next door and Tragg often directed visitors to the younger man's office. It was a help to their administrative staff that the aging police lieutenant assisted in escorting visitors back when he could in that they could continue their work with a few less trips to the back.

Hamilton chuckled as he noted that even after all these years of working alongside Tragg he still hadn't managed to tune out the older man's voice. He supposed it was his own nosiness that was the culprit. Sometimes the most useful information could be picked up in the background if one was paying attention; and many of the visitors Tragg brought back were for Hamilton anyway.

The sound of a woman's heels clicking on the floor accompanied the cheerful sound of her laughter. Evidently Tragg had cracked a joke of some kind or this woman was a serious morning person.

 _I could do with a serious morning person around here…,_ he thought to himself, noting that his office was jam packed with serial coffee drinkers, especially first thing in the morning. Awake and functioning seemed to be the goal rather than social and cheerful.

He was due to meet with an Alexandra Mullen very soon. She was a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and she'd been instructed by the courts to produce documentation relevant to a murder case that his office was prosecuting. Crossing his fingers that the delightful sounding woman Tragg was escorting back was the person he was due to see, Hamilton also hoped she'd remain so positive with him. Dealing with mental health professionals wasn't the worst task he had to contend with, but he found they were often uncomfortable about breaching confidentiality even when they had a legal duty to. They cooperated of course, but it was plain to see that there was inner conflict about their duty to their client and their duty to the legal system. The two didn't always mesh well. As an attorney, Hamilton understood confidentiality practices and issues only two well. There were gray areas that could give even the most ethical and experienced attorneys headaches and sleepless nights.

"Right in here, Ms. Mullen," Tragg said cheerfully, indicating Hamilton's wide open office door. Hamilton stood and rounded his desk. He found himself in a bit of a quandary. Here was a well educated young woman who appeared every inch the competent professional in her chosen field, but Hamilton still couldn't bring himself simply shake hands as men did. With women, men were taught to get coats and chairs or at least that had been the way Hamilton had been raised.

The ginger haired prosecutor took in her appearance for a moment, appreciatively even. She was pretty, but not glamorous; sort of like "the girl next door." Her champagne blonde hair was pulled back into a simple, low chignon. A turquoise blouse complimented eyes of a similar shade and was paired with a tea length white skirt. Everything in its place. If her documentation was anything like her appearance, Hamilton anticipated Alexandra being well prepared for this.

"Thank you, lieutenant." Smiling appreciatively at Tragg, she waited until he'd closed the door behind her and went about his way. Entering the spacious room, she approached the district attorney with a confident stride, her brilliant smile now turned fully to him. Definitely a morning person.

"Good morning, Mr. Burger. I'm Alexandra Mullen. After all the phone conversations, it's nice to finally meet you."

"Likewise," Hamilton returned, fully meaning that and for possibly more than the reason she did. Pulling out the chair in front of his desk, he gestured for her to sit and then rounded his desk again to drop himself into his own chair. He couldn't help looking at her, mesmerized, but she didn't seem to notice as she was focused on accomplishing the task she'd come there to do. And she was certain he had a full day ahead of him as well.

"I know you're busy so…"

Alexandra dropped her purse next to her feet and placed a large manila envelope on the desk in front of her. Opening it she removed the copies of the documents that had been requested and required by law enforcement and handed them over to Hamilton Burger.

He took the copies from her and shook himself, realizing he'd been staring. Why was he so distracted by her?

The young woman blushed and she glanced away, her smile now turning suddenly shy. Male attention was something she didn't experience often and found difficult to respond to graciously. Her mother was one to take a compliment well, but Alexandra had never been stunning and had much less experience in the dating and romance departments. She'd always been the plain, girl next door type who was, more often than not, overlooked.

The sudden shift in her confidence surprised Hamilton, but he turned his attention to the documents she'd handed him and scanned over them briefly to make sure they contained all the information he needed.

"This looks like everything. Thank you for bringing these all the way over here. Really I could have had my runner go get them from your office."

"It was no trouble, Mr. Burger. I needed the break from the office anyway."

Hamilton suspected she was simply more comfortable making certain she put those documents straight into the prosecutor's hands than risk such confidential information getting lost in the shuffle, but he didn't press it. If anything he respected her devotion to her duty and ethics.

"I will see you in court tomorrow afternoon then?" He confirmed and winced at the hope sounding loud and clear in his own deep voice. He was going to have to ask her questions on the stand about these documents and others about her work with this particular client. It wouldn't be the most comfortable situation for Alexandra, but Hamilton couldn't help but want to see her again. He was almost looking forward to squaring off with Perry Mason again just to know Alexandra would be in the courtroom too.

She stood with her lovely smile again and slung her purse back over her shoulder, feeling suddenly flirtatious. She didn't have a lot of practice, but since he seemed interested and she was feeling interested herself, she decided there was no time like the present.

"I can't very well turn down an invitation from the district attorney, now can I?"

Her smile widened at his deep chuckle and he stood as well. "I'm afraid the law does put up a rather convincing argument that way."

"Well," she said, glancing at his clock and noticing it was after 11 am. "I'm sure you have a hot lunch date of some sort so I'll get out of your hair."

Grinning at that, Hamilton snorted. "The only hot lunch date I've had in a while has been a hot lunch with Lt. Tragg while we've sifted through evidence."

Then it hit him like a ton of bricks she was fishing to find out if he had anyone already and to his horror, the telltale swarm of butterflies began dancing in his stomach.

"Sounds enchanting," she smirked playfully.

"Not nearly as enchanting as you joining me for dinner tomorrow night."

Surprise lit up her blue eyes at his directness. He was a go getter outside of the courtroom as well as inside apparently.

 _Must be the years of grilling witnesses on the stand…_

"Well, when you decide when and where, you know how to get in touch with me."

He beat her to the door to get it for her and inhaled deeply the musky scent of her perfume. That did nothing to calm the butterflies in his stomach and he groaned inwardly. She was going to be delightfully, but disturbingly distracting in the courtroom the next day.

As the door closed behind her, Hamilton Burger leaned against it and groaned. He hadn't felt like this in ages and he hadn't really believed in love at first sight, but he couldn't deny that in just that brief time Alexandra Mullen had stirred something in him that he felt helpless to resist.

It was just one more case he was fated to lose. Fortunately for him, he was accustomed to losing.


End file.
